ATR-42 / American Eagle

Aerospatiale and Aeritalia (now Alenia) established Avions de Transport Regional as a Groupement d'Intéret Economique under French law to develop a family of regional airliners. The ATR-42 was the consortium's first aircraft and was launched in October 1981.

The first of two ATR-42 prototypes flew for the first time on August 16 1984. Italian and French authorities granted certification in September 1985 and the first ATR-42 entered airline service on December 9 1985.